Kinship
by dabbling
Summary: A road trip gone bad, a story of friendship. Bobby and Lewis. A little B/A at the end. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

A/N Okay, okay, I stalled on my other story and this one popped out of nowhere. I welcome comments suggestions, reviews, etc. I'm calling it done, but it feels like it mightn't be, so you never know!

* * *

Kinship

Chapter 1

It was and had never been a spoken thing. It just was. They'd known each other as long as they could remember, and once they got past those awkward early adolescent squabbles, it was secured. For almost 40 years, the two had been best friends.

Lewis, as the man who had procured the car, got the honor of driving her first. A 1970 Chevy Monte Carlo, it looked like an old man's car by today's standards. But Bobby and Lewis knew better. What was under the hood was what mattered. This car was solid muscle. Both grinned like schoolboys as Lewis hit the interstate. Given a nod of encouragement, Lewis gunned it for the hell of it.

They were smart enough to back off after a few miles. No reason to risk an expensive ticket. They had plenty of miles to go; plenty of highway between here and Chicago.

They planned to drive it in two days. Bobby had a week off, and Lewis could take as much time as he needed. The plan was to drive until they tired the first day, then finish the trip the next.

They didn't talk much the first hour, except to gush about the car. Finally, after a pit stop and a bag of chips, Bobby took the wheel. "You barely have to touch the wheel," Bobby said as he passed a car like a Nascar driver.

"I know. My guys did a great job with her."

"Your guys? You didn't work on this baby yourself?"

Lewis shrugged. "I've been… busy."

"Give it," Bobby prodded.

"Her name's Sarah," Lewis said, as his cheeks reddened.

Bobby smiled. "And Sarah is…?"

"Hot."

They both chuckled.

"She's a realtor. I was looking for a summer place, and well… you know."

Bobby nodded approvingly. "How long?"

"4 months."

"Long time for you."

"She's pretty busy. We don't see each other more than a couple of times a month. Until last month." Lewis sucked down half of his soda. "She moved to the city and well, I let her stay at my place while they were… remodeling her new apartment."

"Lewis!" Bobby smacked his friend on the leg. "Good for you!" He grew quiet as they traversed the next few miles. "If things are moving along, why didn't you… you know, ask her on this trip?"

Lewis looked over at his friend. "Elaine would kill me if I came without you, Bobby. You're the brother she never had."

Bobby looked confused. "You're her brother, Lewis."

"Yeah, but you're nothing like me, man."

* * *

Alex Eames was spending the weekend with her family. Her nephew Nate, now 8 years old, had asked her to teach him to play chess. They sat on her sister's patio, the board on the glass table between them.

"I don't know why you want me to teach you this, Nate. It's not really my game. Unless you just want someone easy to beat."

The boy smiled. "Aunt Alex, if I play with Uncle Bobby, one of two things would happen: either he would think so much between his moves that the game would never end, or he'd stomp me in the first two minutes and that would be it. With you, I stand a chance."

Alex smiled proudly. "More than a chance, I'd say," she muttered as he removed her bishop from the board.

"Do you know why the pawns strike diagonally, even though they move straight?"

She shook her head.

"Because they're supposed to be, like, knights from way back when, with big shields in front of them. They can't strike forward, because the big shield is in the way, so they hold their lances sticking out to one side." He raised his eyes to meet hers, his head still hunched over the board. "I read about it."

"That's really cool, Nate. You'll have to share that with Bobby."

"Why didn't he come?" Nate asked.

"He's on a trip with his friend. Lewis's sister is getting married."

"Where?"

"Chicago."

"That's a long way."

Alex smiled. "They're driving a cool car. I'm sure they're happy." As she sacrificed her queen to her nephew, she recalled how Bobby had talked incessantly about the Monte Carlo on Friday. He was happy just thinking about that car; by now he would be full-out in a drunken euphoria.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was as smooth as any road trip. They shared road-food, listened to classic rock on the radio, and only spent broken moments in mundane updates of their current lives. The highlight of the day was Lewis' joke about a sailor, a nurse, and a college professor.

After dinner at a truck stop, the two pulled out into the dusk with Lewis at the wheel again. By the time the night had fallen, Bobby had his head tilted toward the ceiling and his eyes shut.

For a moment, Lewis wondered if his companion was sleeping, but then Bobby started talking. "I used to have the hots for Elaine. I'm glad she recovered from the divorce. I'm glad she's getting another chance."

Lewis groaned, remembering when they were in high school and he had to watch his best friend pining after his sister every time they crossed paths. "God, you did have it bad for her, didn't you?"

Bobby opened one eye, then shut it again. "She was the most interesting girl I knew back then."

"Interesting, my ass. You were mesmerized by her boobs. You used to have entire conversations with one or the other of them."

"Well, I still find that interesting, if you wanna know the truth."

Lewis chuckled and flicked his brights on. They were in the boonies now, somewhere in Ohio, only an occasional glow from a house here and there as they drove past cornfield after cornfield.

Lewis spotted a car on the shoulder of the road ahead and slowed down. "Hell of a place to get stranded," he said as he coaxed the car to a stop behind the stalled vehicle. He killed the motor and got out, Bobby following his lead.

"Engine trouble?" Lewis asked.

"Damn thing's a piece of shit," the big one complained. "Damn near wrecked, it was knocking so bad."

"Mind if I have a look?" he asked.

The thin one handed Lewis the flashlight and stepped away from the hood. If Bobby hadn't chosen that moment to rub his tired eyes, he would have seen the look that passed between the two motorists.

Goren cried out in protest as he watched the smaller man slam the hood down on his friend and lean heavily against it, pinning Lewis there. He took three steps forward, and then saw the gun aimed right at his chest.

"Keys," the big one said.

"Mmmm… He's got 'em," Goren said, nodding in the direction of Lewis's struggling form.

"Winchell," Bobby's captor said. "He's got the keys."

The thin man turned and stuffed his hand into each of Lewis' pockets, withdrawing the keys on his second attempt.

"Look, you can have the car," Bobby said. "Just take it. We're half a mile from nowhere out here anyway. You don't have to hurt us." Even as he spoke the words, he saw the big one choke up on a crow bar he held in the hand opposite the gun.

One hit, and Bobby fell like a stone.

* * *

"Bobby? C'mon, Bobby, that's it, open your eyes," Lewis said softly.

The bile rose in his throat and he tried to keep it down. He blinked his still shut eyes, not sure whether opening them was a good idea or not.

"C'mon, Bobby, I need you, man…"

Bobby tried to answer him, but all that escaped his lips was a miserable groan.

"Ah, fuck!" Lewis shouted, and then added a few more words to the night air around them.

Bobby's worry for his friend forced him to open his eyes. Fortunately, a full moon provided just enough light for him to see. Once the swirling stopped, he saw Lewis on his side next to him, holding his hands over his knees. "Wha's wrong?" Bobby slurred.

"Fucking Mosquitoes," Lewis said. "They're eating me alive. You okay?"

Bobby closed his eyes again. "Swat 'em," he advised.

"I'm tied up, Bobby. I can't move."

Goren's eyes flickered back open. He tested his own hand and was surprised that it moved freely. He reached out clumsily and felt for the ropes that bound Lewis. Once his fingers scraped across the rough twine, he dug into his pocket and withdrew his switchblade.

"Aw, be careful with that, man!" Lewis warned.

It was a tedious process, but Bobby managed to position the blade on the rope without throwing up.

"Just hold still," Lewis said. "Let me do it." He rocked his body slightly back and forth, and the rope released one strand at a time. Once his hands were loose, Lewis took the knife from Bobby and cut his ankles free. Then he kneeled over his friend and touched the sticky mess of blood caked in Bobby's hair.

"Shit, they nailed you good, Bobby."

At that moment, Bobby lost his battle with his stomach. He gagged and choked, and Lewis turned his body farther to the side. "It's all right, man, we're gonna get out of this mess," Lewis said.

"Call 911," Bobby grunted.

"Well, if we had a phone, I'd do that, but they cleaned me out before they took the car. Bobby, they got your piece, too. Wasn't your phone charging?"

Bobby sighed in response. It had been plugged into the cigarette lighter, resting in the empty ashtray when Lewis pulled the car over.

Lewis slapped at the mosquitoes that were attacking him. "Can you walk?"

Bobby rolled his eyes.

"Well, you're gonna have to," Lewis said. "I'm not leaving you out here, you'll get eaten by a wolf or something." He checked Bobby's head wound again. "Let me wrap that with something." He took off his button-down shirt, removed his t-shirt, and used the knife to cut it into a long, winding strip. He slipped his overshirt back on without buttoning it and leaned in to wind the bandage around Bobby's head.

"Bobby," Lewis poked him with his finger. "C'mon, man, wake up. We've got some hiking to do."

He hoisted the big man up with an arm stretched across his shoulder. As Lewis struggled to catch his breath, Bobby moaned in protest.

"C'mon, buddy. Take some deep breaths. You can do this," Lewis said, though the words were half for himself. He knew he wouldn't be able to take the bulk of Bobby's weight alone. "If we can get back up on the road, we can flag somebody down, get some help."

* * *

Lewis looked up at the steep hill in front of them. They must have tossed them down the steepest ravine they could find. Bobby was sagging heavily against him, and his arm was already tiring. He reached up with one hand to adjust the glasses that weren't there. "Shit," he breathed. He must have lost them while tumbling down this damn hill.

Lewis took a deep breath. "Okay, Bobby, here we go. Let's get some use out of those long legs of yours." He counted to three and stumbled two steps forward.

Bobby was trying his best, but his legs weren't cooperating. He managed to lift one, but it came down wrong. He gained ground with one step and lost it with the other.

Lewis strained under his friend's weight. They tried a few more times, managing to gain a few feet before both men collapsed to the ground.

On his hands and knees, Bobby's stomach lost its contents again. Lewis managed to pull the big man into his lap before Bobby collapsed into his own vomit.

He only meant to rest a minute, but Lewis' aching body fell asleep.

* * *

Something wet and cold plopped on his face. Lewis groaned and felt more heavy drops splashing against his skin. He slid out from under Goren and got to his knees. The light was coming up, and everything around them was sheathed in a kind of gray fog. He saw the hill ahead of them and as the cold rain trickled down the back of his neck, he determined to get Bobby up it.

He shook Bobby with his hand, but his friend didn't wake. Lewis could feel some warmth in his face, and he knew he wasn't dead. As painful as it was, he grabbed Bobby under the arms and dragged him up the incline as far as he could. He rested, and did it again.

45 minutes later, they made it into the scratchy weeds that lined the road. The rain came down faster.

Lewis saw the car, the Taurus that had belonged to their attackers. He stumbled forward and wrenched at the doors, but all four were locked. Looking around, he spotted the crowbar on the crusher fine gravel that blanketed the road's shoulder. He picked it up and smashed it into the front passenger window.

The glass shattered into a million pieces, but did not fall free. He stabbed at the broken glass with the pry end of the bar and wiggled it in a circle until he'd carved a hole big enough to get his hand through.

Lewis reached in and hit the power locks. With a satisfying click, the doors of the car were released.

It started pouring. By the time he'd stuffed Bobby, prone, into the back seat and climbed into the front again, they were both soaked clean through.

As Lewis watched the rain rushing down the windshield in sheets, he was grateful for the shelter of the chilly car. He turned, reached a hand back, and rested it against Bobby's chest. His friend still refused to wake. Comforted by the rise and fall of his chest, Lewis turned and stared at the swirls of rain in front of him. He looked at the dash and found the switch that controlled the car's lights.


	3. Chapter 3

Kinship 3

"Eames," Alex barked into the phone. She was at her desk, which was strewn with paperwork. Quickly she grabbed a pad and jotted down the name of the officer, his precinct, and the name of the woman who had called it in. "Well, actually, I haven't been able to get hold of Goren, either," she said. "Last I spoke to him was when they left yesterday morning. My call went to voicemail last night." A slight worry crept in. "Nah, they're on a road trip. Anything's possible," she said, trying to reassure herself. "Hey, thanks. I'll make some calls, and I'll call you back."

Quickly, she ended the call and pushed 2. Again, Goren's phone went straight to voicemail. "Hey Bobby, I'm a little worried about you. Call me back, okay?"

Then she leaned forward and typed a few minutes on her computer. At last she found the number she needed. She dialed. "May I speak with Elaine Ruzicki?" She waited. "Mrs. Ruzicki? I'm Alex Eames, Bobby Goren's partner? Did Lewis and Bobby arrive yet?" Alex listened, a frown crossing her face. "Have they checked in with you? I haven't been able to get hold of Bobby." Her frown deepened. "Let me leave my number. If you hear anything, would you give me a call? Thanks." She rattled off her phone number twice. "And congratulations on the wedding."

* * *

The patrolman approached the car warily from behind. The storm clouds were burning off now, and he'd spotted the broken window. He gripped his weapon firmly and knocked on the roof of the car with the back knuckles of his right hand. Then he replaced that hand on the butt of his gun.

Lewis stirred, and the officer called, "Hands on the steering wheel where I can see them!" As he inched forward, he saw the man strewn out in the back seat, a bloody bandage twisted around his head. The patrolman began to sweat.

Lewis sat still, hands gripped around the steering wheel, as instructed. The officer visually inspected the scene, then yanked the door open. "Face down, on the ground," he said. "Keep your hands where I can see them."

Lewis was so sore he could barely move. The officer interpreted this as resistance and yanked him out of the car. He hit the ground with a smack and groaned in pain. He felt the man secure the cold metal cuffs around his sore wrists. He patted Lewis down and left him lie while he pulled the back door open and checked for Goren's pulse. Finally, the man leaned against the radio mic on his shoulder. He called for back up, and two ambulances.

"Bobby," Lewis said. "Is he?"

"He's alive," said the officer, opening Lewis' wallet. "What's your story, Mr. Ruzicki?"

"We… they stole our car. Hit Bobby." Lewis' tale was interrupted as he battled with a thick cough.

Back up arrived and they moved Lewis to a sitting position. "You were a little hard on him, weren't you, Hall?"

Officer Hall looked down at Lewis' wrists, where his cuffs were secured. His eyebrows raised. "I didn't do that!" He said. Lewis tried desperately to make sense of the flurry of activity around him as the paramedics frantically moved Bobby from the car to the bus and sped off. Another paramedic squatted in front of him, and shone a light in Lewis' puffy eyes.

"He's in bad shape, too," he said quietly to the patrol officers. "We need to take him in." One officer escorted the ambulance to the nearest hospital, which was 45 minutes to the east.

The other officers started their investigation of the scene.

* * *

"Eames!" Ross called firmly from his office. She climbed out of her chair and went into his office, where he shut the door.

"Just got a call. Goren's in a hospital in Ohio. In a coma."

His words stabbed her heart. "Car accident?" She asked.

"Somebody clobbered him with a tire iron. Highway patrol found him in the back of a stolen car."

"Sir, I…"

Ross handed her his notes. "Here's the address."

* * *

Lewis slept for several hours and came to with a raging fever. The officer stayed nearby, but besides one recurring comment, nothing Lewis said made any sense.

"… hit Bobby," he whispered again.

Alex approached Bobby's room slowly. Even from the hall, she could see they'd put him on a respirator. Wires and tubes seemed to come off his body everywhere. He looked like he was trapped in some kind of web.

As the machine pumped air into his lungs with a steady rhythm, she stared at his face. He was like a statue. "Bobby," she said through the frog in her throat. "You're… you're gonna be okay. You're in a hospital now. Lewis is here, too. You're both gonna be all right."

* * *

After a few hours, she went to Lewis' room. The officer in the doorway was a foreboding sign. Alex showed her ID and the officer let her in.

"Lewis, are you awake?" Alex said.

"'Tective Alex," he slurred. He opened his tired eyes. The officer stepped inside to listen.

"What happened?" Alex asked, looking over her shoulder at the Ohio cop. Alex nodded the woman closer.

Lewis coughed and tried to speak. "Pulled over… hit Bobby… in a ditch…"

Alex realized what he was saying wasn't very clear. "Okay, okay, Lewis. Get some rest. You can tell me the rest later."

"Bobby?" he asked.

"He's here. The doctors are taking care of him," she said. She watched him close his eyes and rest again, as the other woman moved back to her post in the doorway. Now Alex knew what they were thinking.

"What do you have?" She asked.

"Look, it's an open investigation," the officer said.

Alex showed her her badge again. "And I'm a detective with Major Case in New York City, and the man in a coma down the hall is my partner. I want to know what the hell happened to him."

The woman glanced down, then back up to Alex. "I haven't heard the latest, but the car they were found in was stolen. This one," she shrugged toward Lewis, "his prints were on the crow bar that was used against your partner. They found him in the driver's seat, your partner stretched out in the back."

Alex shook her head. "Lewis would never hurt Bobby. They've been friends for years. They're like brothers."

"You're in Major Case, Detective. You know that sometimes, even brothers…"

"Lewis wouldn't hurt Bobby."

"You heard what he said. 'Hit Bobby.' He's been saying that since they found him."

Alex sighed heavily. "Thanks," she muttered as she left the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Kinship 4

The phone calls flew back and forth for hours. Ross demanded Alex be allowed full access to the investigation, the Ohio Captain insisting that she was biased and would only hinder the ability to get at the truth of the matter.

Alex busied herself working the other end of the case. She got the description of the Monte Carlo and the plate number. She talked with Ruzicki's girlfriend and found the route the men had planned to take. Through phone calls and interviews, she traced their path all the way from the City to the truck stop where they'd had dinner. It wasn't far from the hospital. After checking on both Bobby and Lewis one more time, she went outside and got into the rental she was using.

* * *

"Oh, honey," the waitress said. "I'm sorry to hear that. They was just as happy as clams when they was in here, laughing it up and… more than a little flirtatious, if you know what I mean."

Alex smiled. "Boys will be boys," she said.

"Exactly!" The waitress smiled. "I never saw two grown men act so much like teenagers. Ate like 'em, too."

"You saw no sign that they were… arguing about anything?" Alex asked.

"Oh, no, honey. Those two woulda been more likely to tag team on that wrestling show than to fight each other."

"Thank you," Alex said, making notes on her pad.

"I hope they're all right," the woman said before going back to work.

* * *

That night, Ross called, triumphant. "You got it," he said. "Just tag along, get what you can, don't make any waves. From what I hear, they already have enough for the DA to prosecute Lewis. The Department isn't handing it over yet, based on your assertions."

"Thanks, Captain."

"How's Bobby?"

"The same."

"I'm sorry, Alex."

"Me, too," she said.

* * *

The next morning, Lewis' fever was gone. He could barely move, but he did seem to be improving. Alex accompanied the Ohio detectives when they came in to question him.

"Mr. Ruzicki, I'm Detective Schroeder, this is Detective Baxter. I believe you know Detective Eames."

"Detective Alex," Lewis said, smiling for her. "How's Bobby?"

"Okay," she said. "We'll talk about it later."

"Start at the beginning, Mr. Ruzicki, and tell us what happened."

"We were on a road trip, headed for my sister's wedding. Oh, shit! Did somebody call Elaine?" He looked at Alex.

"She'll be here tonight," Alex reassured him.

"She didn't call off the wedding, did she?"

"No, just the honeymoon. She'll be here tonight."

"Mr. Ruzicki?" Schroeder prompted.

"Oh, uh, yeah. We were driving to Chicago, and it was dark and I saw this car pulled off the side of the road." He looked at the Ohio cops. "I'm a mechanic, so I pulled over to see if I could help. One of them slammed the hood down and pinned me inside and the other one must've hit Bobby. They got the keys from my pocket, and the big one had a gun on me while the other one tied me up. They took my cell phone and my pocketknife. Then they threw me down that damn hill. I practically landed on top of Bobby. He was out cold. When he woke up, I tried to get him to walk up the hill with me, but he couldn't do it. Eventually, I dragged him up. It was raining so I figured the car was the best place to be. The doors were locked so I hit the window with the crow bar and unlocked them. Once we were inside, I turned on the lights and waited for help."

"That hill's a 45 degree grade," Baxter said. "Goren's a pretty big guy."

Lewis knew where this was headed, but he stared the Detective down.

"You expect us to believe that you… hauled Goren… all the way up that hill?"

Lewis would have rolled over if his muscles weren't so stiff. Instead he rolled his eyes and grunted, "He ain't heavy, he's my brother."

Alex raised a hand to hide her smirk. Once she'd recovered, she lowered it and took Lewis' hand. She raised it up off the mattress, revealing the ligature marks from when he had been bound. "Looks like some pretty good evidence here," she said. "Maybe you guys should have a look at his bruising." She gave his hand a squeeze and left the room.

After a few minutes, Schroeder joined her. "Look, Eames," he started. He sighed and looked away momentarily. "His story is plausible," he said. "But we've got to go with the evidence."

"I'm aware of that, Detective."

"Until now, everything was pointing the other way."

"I understand."

"Do you have any information that might…. Help us out?"

"Until the Monte Carlo turns up, not really." She told him about her interview with the waitress.

"That gives us a time frame," he said. "Look, can you keep Ruzicki around for a while?"

"He won't leave Bobby," she said honestly.

"We'll pull back, give his story a chance."

"Good." She saw Baxter coming out of the room. "Now… I have to go tell him about Bobby."

* * *

She smiled at him and took his hand in hers. "Lewis, I… I have some news…"

Lewis' smile faded. "Is Bobby…?"

"He's here, in the hospital, Lewis. But he's… in a coma. The head injury, it's bad."

Lewis struggled and sat up. "Take me to him," he said.

"Lewis, I don't think you're-" He stared her down, in the same way he stared at Baxter. "Okay. Don't hurt yourself."


	5. Chapter 5

Kinship 5

"When we were kids, you know, I was bigger than him," Lewis said with a smile. For good measure, he nodded his head at his friend. "Wasn't I, Bobby?"

He continued. "'Til about 3rd grade. Kids used to, you know, pick on him. Especially when he came in with those bruises. I stood up for him, you know?"

"Things stayed that way for a long time, probably until Junior High." Lewis looked over at Alex. "Kids can be pretty mean when people let 'em. Even those last couple of years in elementary school, Bobby was bigger, but they already knew he was an easy target. They still got to him, when I wasn't around."

"No wonder you're such good friends," Alex said.

Lewis shrugged. "He made it up to me plenty of times." Lewis coughed. He stared at Bobby, then forced himself to turn away. "In high school, I uh… I really had a lot of trouble. Shop class was great, but I had a hell of a time in every other class. Not 'cause I wasn't smart enough, I just… That's when my Dad died, the summer before sophomore year, and I guess I was just… depressed."

"The other kids walked all over me. Bobby turned the tables. He started to see what an advantage his size could be." Lewis shifted in the chair and grimaced in pain.

"You should get some rest, Lewis," she said.

He looked sadly at his friend, and slowly got to his feet. He put his hand on Bobby's. "See you tomorrow, Buddy."

Alex walked Lewis back to his room and helped him get into bed. "Alex," Lewis said quietly. "I'm sorry."

She frowned at him. "Don't Lewis. He's still here because of you. I know that. And he's gonna pull through. I believe that." She gave his hand a squeeze.

* * *

_Wasn't I,Bobby?_

Bobby's mind wandered back to that day. The day when his mother had finally stepped past what anyone would consider "normal" and he'd realized the truth. He'd run to Lewis' house, crawled in through the basement window, dropped onto the sunken couch the Ruzickis kept there and hid in Lewis' bedroom closet.

He heard Lewis' Dad come in, talking to him while he changed into pajamas. He heard them tuck the boy in. When the closet door slid open, his face was wet and swollen from all the tears.

"Bobby?" Lewis had looked down at him and said. "Bobby, what's wrong?"

And he'd thought about his mother, and the frying pan and how she said demons should burn, and he barely managed to speak over the wave of sobs that hit him next. "C-can I stay here?" he asked, frightened desperation in his immature voice.

Lewis had pulled him out of the closet and draped an arm over his shoulder. "Sure, Bobby. You can sleep with me."

_Kids can be pretty mean when people let 'em._

They were walking home from the library. Bobby was already reading his book, using Lewis' shadow as his compass. He didn't expect him to stop, however. Bobby stepped right into his friend's backside and dropped his book on the sidewalk.

The other boys snickered. When Bobby reached down to pick up the book, a foot was firmly planted on top of it. He shook his head slowly and let go of it.

"Get your foot off his book," Lewis said.

"Shut up, Ruzicki. Call me when you're tall enough to look me in the eye."

Bobby's whole body moved nervously as he spoke. "F-forget about it, Lewis. D-don't."

But Lewis just stared, and Bobby could see that he'd made two fists inside his pants pockets.

"Get your foot… off his book," Lewis hissed.

The other two boys looked at each other and laughed, and Lewis was on them. He landed one punch to a nose, and then pinned the other one to the ground. "Why don't you fucking leave him alone? He didn't do nothing to you!" Lewis shouted.

"L-Lewis, c'mon. Forget about it. Let's go," Bobby said quietly in the background. His gentle hand against Lewis' shoulder was enough. Lewis stood slowly and walked next to Bobby down the street. The both checked periodically over their shoulders to see if they were being followed.

_That's when my Dad died, the summer before sophomore year…_

Lewis sat at a table alone, slowly picking the toppings off his cafeteria pizza. Bobby slid onto the bench across from him. "What, you wanted cheese?" he said.

Lewis flicked a green pepper off his finger and pushed his tray away. "Nah," he said.

"I was looking at that schedule, and I saw we have a biology test on Thursday. I thought maybe we could study together."

Lewis rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, Bobby. If you want to."

"You're a piece of work, you know that?"

Lewis lifted his eyes to meet Bobby's. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Look, Lewis, I know how you feel. You gotta just pick up and go on with your life."

"You don't have a fucking clue how I feel, Goren. You're Dad's not dead."

Bobby's lips tightened. "Yeah, you're right, he's not. He's prob'ly out somewhere right now drinking a fucking toast to me, singing my Goddamn praises to this week's whore." Bobby shook his head, and a touch of the anger went away. "At least you know your Dad was proud of you, Lewis. At least… you _know._"

It was at that moment that Jeff Palmer decided to make a snide remark about Lewis' answer in math class that morning. Bobby leapt to his feet, his hand in Palmer's face, and accusing finger under his nose.

"Back off, Palmer," Bobby said. "Just… back the fuck off." To his surprise, the boy did exactly that. Lewis got up and grabbed his tray. He slammed it against the trash can and dropped it on the stack in the kitchen window as he and Bobby walked out of the cafeteria together.

* * *

Two hours later, Elaine and her new husband arrived. Elaine went straight to Lewis and kissed him on the forehead. He stirred. "Hey, sis," he said. He strained to look past her at Michael. "Michael," Lewis added. "Sorry I ruined your wedding."

Elaine held her hand out and showed her brother her ring. "You didn't ruin anything."

"Michael," he said. "Welcome to the family." He coughed.

"We're just glad you're all right, Lewis." They sat and listened to the story of what happened.

"And how is Bobby now?" Elaine asked.

"He's in a coma, sis. I don't know…" She gave her brother a reassuring smile and glanced back at her husband.

Michael spoke, "Why don't you go see him? I'll stay here with Lewis."

"I'll be right back," she promised.

* * *

Alex leaned over her dinner and picked at the remnants of her salad. She found her mind replaying the stories Lewis had told. She already knew much of Bobby's past, but to hear the stories from another perspective gave her much more insight. Bobby had the tendency to downplay all of it: He'd suffered, he'd lived through it, it was what it was. Lewis, on the other hand, gave her a glimpse into her best friend's personality as it was forming.

The ringing of the phone jostled her from her thoughts. "Eames," she said. "I'll be right there." She gathered her purse and hurried out to the car.

* * *

"The Monte Carlo was found in a parking lot in Indianapolis," Schroeder announced. They just sent us the prelims." He handed the reports over to Alex.

"There's more," Baxter said. "They left another victim behind." He gave her a smile, trying to make amends for his earlier attitude about Lewis. She couldn't say she warmed up to him, but it did help a little.

"We're gonna go down there, interview him, and come back here to put the pieces together. With Lewis' description, we can get an APB out."

* * *

"I got a room for you," Alex said. "And your sister's in the same hotel, too."

Lewis scratched again at the still-niggling mosquito bites and straightened the t-shirt over the waist of his jeans. He nodded. "Close by?" he asked.

"Yeah. Right down the street."

"Okay. Let me go tell Bobby where I'll be," he said, coughing again until his lungs were clear. He walked stiffly down the hall and entered Bobby's room.

"Hey Buddy," Lewis said, pulling up the chair next to the bed. "I just wanted to let you know they're cutting me loose. I'll be in to visit you every day, I'm not leaving or anything."

He ran his hand through his hair and stared at the floor a few minutes. "I gotta tell you, Bobby… I keep thinking about that time, in seventh grade…" Lewis was keenly aware that Alex was in the room, and he thought twice before speaking aloud.

"I know you couldn't leave her. I know now how you felt. And I'm… I'm sorry, Bobby." Lewis chuckled, then coughed. "Kinda funny, the things we carry around with us all our lives. Look, Bobby, I, uh… I'll be back in the morning. Be nice if you were awake by then."


	6. Chapter 6

Kinship 6

_You had to stay with her. I know that now._

Bobby ran his tongue along his still-swollen lip. Lewis had busted it yesterday, and it was still sore. He stuffed his hands deep into his coat pocket, pulling his chin into the top of the collar. Why couldn't Lewis understand? It was bad enough he had to go to school, he couldn't spend all night running around with the guys.

As if Lewis really cared, anyway. Bobby blew his breath out in a quick white puff and buried his boots in the deepening snow. Last week, Lewis wouldn't even give him the time of day.

Bobby finally reached his house. He listened, and didn't hear anything, so he stepped around the corner and pulled out the smoke Frank had given him in the morning. He lit it, taking in a long draw. He almost choked, but caught himself. He exhaled slowly, then took another drag of the cigarette. When it had burned down to a nub, he dropped it into the snow and hurried inside the house.

"Ma?" Bobby called. "Ma, I'm home... Ma?" He roamed from room to room looking for her. At last, he saw her, curled into a ball on the bed in her darkened room. She was crying. "Ma?" he repeated. Bobby kept his distance. Experience had taught him that. He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted his weight from foot to foot. "What's the matter, Ma?"

She didn't speak, but she took her arm away from her face. He was horrified to see that it was bruised.

Bobby stepped in and gently took her chin in his hand. He studied her face. "Ma, who?"

"Your father," was all she said. Bobby felt a surge of anger. The same man he'd been so devoted to a few short years ago, who'd divorced her, divorced all of them, had continued to find a way to shower them with pain and suffering. Bobby forced himself to put his anger at bay. "I'll get you... uh... a cool washcloth," he said. He was going to help her. He had to.

The phone rang just as he finished ringing out the washrag. Bobby grabbed the telephone with his left and held the wet rag in the other. "Hello?"

"Last chance Bobby."

"Lewis, I can't."

"Bobby! Why the fuck do you feel like you have to take care of her? It's not like she's ever taken care of you!"

Bobby felt fire creeping up his flesh. "You don't understand, Lewis. Just... go out and have a good time and leave me the hell alone."

"That's what you want?"

Suddenly, Bobby knew they were talking about more than just tonight. He closed his eyes and nodded as he spoke. "Yeah. Just leave me alone."

Caring for his mother distracted him, and he didn't give the situation much thought until he finally returned to school, two days late. Bobby was on eggshells just wondering if he should say something, or if Lewis would say something. Lewis was already eating when he got to the cafeteria, sitting with some of the new guys he liked to hang out with. Bobby got his tray and sat down as far away from other people as he could.

He was eating a chicken salad sandwich when he looked up and saw his friend sitting across from him. "Hey, Bobby," Lewis said.

"Hey," Bobby grinned.

* * *

"So what happened in seventh grade?" Alex asked as she walked him to his hotel room.

Lewis swiped the key card and tilted his head, inviting her in. "Seventh grade was tough," he said as he sat in the leather chair by the table. His movements were slow and deliberate; he was still hurting.

"You know, we had a new school, and I made some new friends, and... I guess I couldn't decide if I wanted to hang onto my old ones anymore or not. One day I'd stick to Bobby like glue, and the next we were pounding each other on the pavement. I got where I wanted to call all the shots. You know, Bobby was never like that. He never got to call the shots, 'cuz life just handed him a set of circumstances and he just... made the best of what got thrown at him.

"His mom was pretty sick, going through one of her spells. You know when we were little kids, Bobby used to come stay with me when she got like that. But as he got older, he didn't do that anymore. Anyway, she'd been having a bad couple of weeks, ranting and raving all hours of the night, and I... I just wanted Bobby to be my friend again. You know, hang out, laugh, like when things were good. Only I didn't understand what it was like for him. And I... I guess I gave him an ultimatum. He chose his Mom."

Alex touched his hand. "You were just a kid, Lewis. You couldn't know."

"Fortunately, when I saw him at school the next week, he didn't hold a grudge about it. We just carried on like nothing had ever happened. That was a real low point for me, Alex. I never gave him grief about hanging out with me again."

* * *

Alex left Lewis in the care of his sister and then headed back to the hospital. Ross called her, and so did the Ohio cops. It was a waiting game for her, now. She sat at Bobby's side and listened to the respirator's even tempo.

Alarms sounded, and she jumped to her feet, only to be whisked out of the way by the staff. She watched from against the far wall, simultaneously hopeful and terrified. They counted to three and removed the tube from his throat, releasing a horrible hiss into the room until someone had the wherewithal to turn the machine off.

"Mr. Goren? Detective?!" They spoke to him in excited tones, while other members of the team shouted out updates on his vital signs.

Bravely, Alex stepped forward. They parted and let her pass. "Bobby?" She said, and she didn't feel the tears slip down her cheeks. "Bobby." Her voice was firmer now. "Come on, Bobby, I've been wanting to talk to you."

They whispered the changes in his vitals now, and encouraged her to keep talking. Alex spoke again. "Lewis is better, Bobby. And Elaine is here, too. We all want to talk to you, Bobby. Come on," she coaxed him.

A hoarse whisper finally greeted her. " 'Lex…"

"That's right, it's me, Bobby. Right here. Come on, wake up."

It seemed as if everyone in the room held their breath until he spoke again. "Too bright," he whispered.

Hastily, the lights were switched off.

"Better now?" Alex asked, a smile at her lips. She watched him squint and blink and finally open his eyes. It took a moment, but at last he focused. "Hi, Bobby," she said sweetly.

"L-L-Lewis," was his next attempt.

"He's fine Bobby, a little tired, that's all."

"W-Winchell," was the next thing he said.

"What?"

Bobby squeezed his eyes shut and fought to repel the headache that was forming behind his eyes. "Winchell hurt Lewis," was all he said before he was out again.

Alex looked around the room, her expression an open question. The young doctor stepped forward, studied the data from the various monitors. "Asleep, not unconscious. He's out of the coma," the man said, giving Alex a grin.

She breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the tears away from her eyes with the cuffs of her shirt. As the medical staff left the room, Alex sank into the chair beside him and kept a hand on his muscled shoulder. Her mind replayed various forms of the same fervent prayer: _Thank God, thank you God, Thanks be to God._

* * *

"He's sleeping now, but I'll be sure to tell him first thing," Elaine said. She held her new husband's hand. "Thank you, Alex."

The next phone call was to Detective Schroeder. "'Winchell hurt Lewis.' That's exactly what he said."

"That's great news, Eames. We've got a guy named Winchell in interrogation in Indy right now."

"Keep me posted," she said with a satisfied smile.

"You bet."

She hung up the phone and then made her final call for the night, to Captain Ross.

"Yeah?" he grunted.

"Bobby came out of the coma," she said. "And he gave us a name for one of the attackers."

"Great news," Ross said.

"I'll call you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it," said the captain.

* * *

Lewis sat down in the chair and looked back at Eames. He wasn't sure what to do. He'd been told Bobby was better, but with the exception of the missing breathing tube, he looked the same. Finally, he looked back at her again. "I thought you said he came out of it," he said.

His voice wasn't full, but it was more than a whisper. "Right here," Bobby said.

Lewis erupted with laughter, then cried, massaging Bobby's hand with his fingers. "Bobby, man… God, I can't believe it."

"Okay?" Bobby asked his friend.

"Don't I look it?" Lewis said.

"M'too," was Bobby's reply. He allowed himself a crooked smile as he gave his friend's hand a gentle squeeze. "Lewis…"

"Yeah?"

"Don't be sorry." He swallowed, wincing from the rawness in his throat. "Never sorry," Bobby said. He let go the man's hand and made a fist, which Lewis gladly bumped with his own.

"You're my best friend, Bobby. Always."

"M'too," Bobby replied.


	7. Chapter 7

Kinship

Epilogue

The road trip back had begun, 5 people stuffed into Elaine and Michael's Dodge van. Somehow, Lewis and Bobby had collapsed into the third row seat and had no intention of moving. Alex sat in a captain's chair next to the sliding door, and Michael drove, with his wife riding shotgun.

They'd just finished breakfast, and the boys in the back were the life of the party. Alex smiled when she heard Bobby laugh. That was something she never heard enough.

"Detective Alex," Lewis said. "Tell Bobby how you put Baxter in his place."

"I already told it."

"I have a head injury," Bobby teased. "I forgot."

"All right, well… it wasn't so much Baxter, as all of them."

"It was Baxter. He's the one that said I couldn't carry you up the hill," Lewis told his friend.

"I just told them all it was bullshit, that Lewis would never hurt you, Bobby."

"And maybe they needed to look at my bruise patterns," Lewis added.

"He had ligature marks on his wrists, Bobby! How could they just write that off?"

"And my shirt was wrapped around your head. Why would I clobber you and then try to save you?" Lewis sniffed. "I'm glad to be going home. I know NYPD does a better job."

Bobby just grinned, taking in the story again.

"And to wake up and find Detective Alex at my side," Lewis gave a dramatic sigh.

"All right, that's enough of that," Alex said. "Do I need to call Sarah?" The men in the back laughed.

After a while, Bobby dozed off. He'd only been released the day before, and still had a lot of healing to do. Alex stole a glance at him, then handed a u-shaped pillow to Lewis. "Stuff that behind his head," she told him.

Lewis did the best he could without waking Bobby. Satisfied, Alex turned her eyes back to the road ahead. "Some honeymoon," she said to Elaine.

"It's fine," Elaine said. "We'll get to see mother, and the City can be a lot of fun, even if it's hot." She turned and craned her neck at her brother. "Oh, that reminds me. Mom wants you to call her, Lewis. She's not satisfied with my reports anymore."

Michael laughed. "She told her your mosquito bites were the worst of your injuries."

Lewis looked at the scabs on his arms. They had been quite annoying. "Next rest stop," he said.

* * *

When they stopped an hour later, both Lewis and Bobby needed help to climb out of the car. Lewis' back locked up in a muscle spasm, and he barely got out of the car without falling on his face. Elaine retrieved his medication and handed it to him, along with her bottled water.

On the other side of the car, Alex waited patiently for Bobby to get his long frame out of the cramped vehicle. Once on his feet on the pavement, he swayed. She gripped his arms and steadied him. When he made eye contact with her, he smiled. "You okay?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah," he said, but she let him drape an arm over her shoulder as she walked him to the restroom door.

Michael walked slowly ahead of them and opened the men's room door when they reached it. "I'll look out for them," he said, and followed Lewis and Bobby inside.

The girls went across the hall and they all met up afterward. Lewis' back was still causing him pain, and he tried to stretch it before giving up and sitting on a park bench on the sidewalk. Bobby sat down beside him.

"What do you guys want?"

"Tallboy," Bobby said.

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen."

"Root beer, then. And some cashews."

"Red vines. And a coke," Lewis added.

Alex stood outside with them while Michael and Elaine did the shopping. None of them could stop smiling. They were lucky to be alive.

* * *

They dropped Bobby and Alex at Bobby's place. It was raining, and the street lamps cast a hazy glow in the darkness. Bobby and Lewis bumped knuckles, and he took the time to open the passenger door and kiss Elaine on the cheek, saying his goodbyes. Alex indulged Lewis in a kiss and waved her goodbyes to everyone else. Then she put her arm around Bobby and walked him inside.

He sat down happily on his couch, leaning back and closing his eyes. A lazy smile stretched across his face.

"How you doing?" She asked quietly.

"Oh… uh… headache," he answered, never opening his eyes.

"It's about time, if you want your meds."

"'Kay," he replied. She brought him the pill and a glass of water, and he swallowed it down.

She sat beside him and saw his smile widen. "What're you thinking?" she asked.

"To wake up with Detective Alex at my side," he grinned, quoting Lewis.

"Where did you think I would be?"

He took her hand, and shook his head slowly, still smiling.

Alex stared at their hands, then looked up into his eyes. Without a thought, she leaned forward and touched her lips to his. They both sat back, staring dreamily, until it dawned on them what had just happened.

Bobby put his free hand behind her neck and drew her in to kiss her again, longer and deeper this time.

THE END


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